IN
THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA, the phenomenal world
depends on mind: the material and the nonmaterial are
all mind and therefore reflect our attitude or state
of mind. In the phenomenal world, the experience of
suffering does not come from dharmas or phenomena; they
do not cling to us or make us confused. It is through
expectation and doubt, attachment and aversion that
our minds create samsara; it is not concepts or values,
but the way we react to them. For example, we say that
the situation in which we live makes our lives difficult,
as if this difficulty were imposed by the world around
us. We may say that New York is a difficult place to
live with its tall buildings and many cars, but these
are not what make it samsaric. We are simply looking
for something to blame. If we think the problems are
outside us and we have to get rid of them, we are stuck
in samsara. This very clinging to an inside and an outside
is what creates samsara .

While meditating in a cave, Milarepa noticed a tiny
crack in the rock. An apprehension that a demon would
appear out of the crack frequently arose. He continued
to cling to this idea and one day a rock demon appeared
as Milarepa was singing one of his songs of realization.
At that moment, the demon responded, "Your mind made
me appear. I did not deliberately do this, but since
your mind called me forth, here I am." This is an example
of a state of mind or quality of perception creating
samsara. Our habitual patterns of mind happen involuntarily
and with such strength that we have no power over them.
With these confused projections, we make problems for
ourselves, it is our confused notion that the world
around us creates confusion and suffering for us.

In order to free ourselves of these habitual patterns,
we must first tame our mind and develop mental stability.
This is why meditation is so important. Meditation is
"getting used to" or "building a good habit." As we
are now, we experience defilements and negative patterns
which did not arise all at once. From beginningless
time we have been building, reinforcing and storing
these habits in the alaya consciousness. They can be
broken through, however, by getting used to positive
habits in the practice of meditation. This will allow
us to experience the nature of our mind, our Buddhanature,
which has always been pure.

The practice of shinay (shamatha) meditation will develop
peace, stability, and one-pointedness of mind. Lhatong
(vipasyana) meditation is the result of healthy shinay
practice. The word lhatong means "seeing more," (more
than we usually do). Instead of seeing things out of
confusion we see what they really are. Through the experience
of a more peaceful mind we have a more stable perspective.
Let us take the example of a lamp. Its purpose is to
give light, to let us see what we can't see in the darkness.
If the lamp flickers constantly, it will be more difficult
to see things clearly, this movement will not allow
the flame to express its ability to give light. To be
able to do this, the flame must be protected so that
it can be still while the fullness of the light is expressed.
Likewise, to experience true discriminating wisdom and
the real nature of all phenomena, we need a calm and
one-pointed mind. In this way shinay practice is the
root of all meditation. We must not, however, neglect
the practices of abandoning unwholesome patterns of
body, speech, and mind and those practices which result
in the accumulation of merit.